Please don't go there Kidspatula. A guy on here has just uploaded a picture of himself as an avatar. I'm trying to control myslef from talking about him like a dog.
Our society tends to acknowledge female beauty more than male beauty for some reason. I don't know why that is.

Interestingly, I read that while homosexuality is forbidden by the koran and illegal in places like Iran there is no such information about trans-sexuals so they are legal.

Actually it's more like islamic scholars acknowledge transexuality to be a condition where a woman's mind is trapped in a man's body or viceversa - since they see it as a condition a person is born with, then it would be moral/civil duty to help them.

Homosexuality, on the other hand, is seen as a person that acknowledges being a man (or woman), who does not desires to change his/her gender, and yet is sexually attracted to members of the same sex. So rather than being a condition one is born with, it is seeing as a choice that goes against the natural roles of men and women in reproduction and perpetuation of the species (akin to Catholic doctrine). As a result, it does not enjoy the same level of protection as transexuality.

Not saying that such interpretation is right or wrong, but that's my understanding from what little I've read on how (some) islamic scholars see it (very far from perfect, but much more proactive than fundies if you ask me). If I'm not mistaken the late Ayatollah Khomeini did some sort of theological thesis on that subject where he postulated transexuality could be permitted under Islam (or at least that's how I understood that when I read about it.)

The street argument is retarded. BJJ is so much overkill for the street that its ridiculous. Unless you're the idiot that picks a fight with the high school wrestling team, barring knife or gun play, the opponent shouldn't make it past double leg + ground and pound - Osiris

That being said, I imagine there's a lot of creepy, emotionally fucked up trannies out there, but I'd also suggest there are plenty of decently adjusted ones who are no different than anyone else.

from what's been said by the post-ops on another forum i read, that's pretty much the distinction... there are successes, who blend in with "normal" women (or men, as the minority case may be), and have no further trouble (unless they want to get married). then there are the failures, who are what this thread was originally about - those people most desperately in need of self defense skills.

the only thing that bothers me about transexuals et al is that they inherently defy classification - it's difficult (and sometimes unpleasant) to try and get a mental grasp on what's what and who's who (or who's what, for that matter). you're straight? fine. you're gay? fine. you're bi? fine. you're a dude who likes women, but you don't think of yourself as a dude? now you're 'just being difficult' (despite notionally having it all worked out on your end, and me being the confused one). the concept of 'reassignment surgery' tends to speak directly to intrinsic male ideas of victimization and helplessness, which doesn't help rational thought much.

now, finding a really hot chick, who was born a chick, and thinks she's a chick, but happens to have xy chromosomes and no uterus? i don't know any guys who have a problem with that idea.

one thing i've noticed myself doing when reading posts by the post-ops on the other forum is thinking "this person thinks like a guy." either it speaks to the seperation of gender identity, sexual orientation, and basic personality, or i'm a caveman, or they simply look good next to some of the idiot women who post on that forum, or... i don't know. but i have observed it.